Australian prosecutors admit Masood Zakaria’s deportation was illegal

Prosecutors have conceded in the NSW Supreme Court that the 2023 deportation of Sydney underworld figure Masood Zakaria from Turkey was illegal. The 31-year-old was removed from Turkey while an appeal against his deportation was still pending, meaning the forced removal was not permitted under Turkish law.

Zakaria’s legal team is seeking a permanent stay of proceedings against him, alleging that the Australian Federal Police facilitated an unlawful recovery operation akin to a “kidnapping”. If the application succeeds, the serious charges against Zakaria—including the murders of Toufik and Salim Hamze and a conspiracy to murder Ibrahem Hamze—will not be prosecuted.

Zakaria was returned to Australia in December 2023 via a chartered aircraft escorted by ex-military contractors from Hart International. He is currently being held in Goulburn Supermax prison.